The female elephant panted heavily, her enormous body trembling with each breath. Paul could see she was growing weaker, her energy draining with every passing moment. She wasn’t just large; her size was unnatural. He’d never seen anything like it, and it left him deeply unsettled.
Elephants are known to be large with round, full bellies. However, African rainforest elephants are usually scrawny, given their lifestyle of constant movement and foraging. This elephant, however, had a round protruding belly and Paul wondered if his efforts would even be enough to save her?
Paul was lost in thought as Dr. Ndaba finally found the chance to take a look at the female elephant. He was equally astonished. Encountering a lone female elephant in this part of the rainforest was rare, as they usually never stray away from the herd. The elephant’s massive size further deepened the mystery.
“She must have been separated from her herd. Elephants don’t usually roam around with their babies by themselves,” the veterinarian noted, examining her carefully. “But her size… it’s extraordinary.” Paul watched as Dr. Ndaba’s face grew more serious. He could sense the vet’s concern, though he didn’t yet know the extent of the problem.